October 1999

Hosta & Ornamental Grass Enthusiasts Newsletter
AAA Ornamentals @ http://www.hostas.com
Vol. 2, No. 4, October, 1999

What's New on our Web-Site??

AVAILABLE NOW! Hostas and Ornamental Gasses by the flat! Order early because stock is limited to that available at my wholesalers. Hostas and grasses will be available in flats of 20 or 36 plants A down payment will be necessary to reserve the flats (wholesalers frown at cancellations). You will be amazed at the value that you will receive! See our homepage at http://www.hostas.com for pricing!

My site now has an official Question & Answer discussion forum! I purchased the Ultimate Bulletin Board software so that the usage is easy and professional looking. I am just now beginning to add questions and answers to the forum that I have received over the last year. Please check it out and add your own questions and answers! If you would like to be a moderator for a particular topic listed, or a new one, just let me know and we can add it for you! I would be very honored to have an increased knowledge base of helpers! (Who knows, maybe you'll get a free grass or hosta.) Check it out at http://www.hostas.com/q-and-a/index-q-and-a.html.

I know have a voting area for your favorite hostas! Please cast your vote at http://www.hostas.com/cgi-bin/vote.cgi.

Been Busy

I'm sure that you've been busy too in your garden (well maybe). I added a 50 x 15 foot ornamental grass garden at the back of our property. It contains 10 different grasses totaling 35 plants. It should make a rather robust display in a year or two. Instead of mulch, I used the existing violet groundcover. Since violets 'cannot be killed', I just rototilled them under which basically spread them evenly over the entire area. Self-rejuvenating mulch! I also added some tall sedums in the areas between the grass clumps to add color, some late season flowers, and different texture. I will keep you informed of it's progress.

Next spring should be easier for heat control in the greenhouse. I added hardware to completely roll up one side to a height of about 6 feet. For those with large or small greenhouses know, heat control is an important factor for maintaining healthy plants.

Thank you for all of you who ordered my summer sale grasses. I have probably only 50 left! This will make great room for my new potting system next spring.

Hostas

The recycled tire soaking hoses have worked out wonderfully. There is an area about 12 feet away from the east side of my house where I am 'pushing' some sunlight on hostas. Last year, some were baked a bit. This year, with ample deep water available to the plant they look incredible! Watering make easy, but better! Usually easy is not better, but in this case it it true.

If you cut back your hostas in the fall, don't cut them back too early! They are feeding their roots and crown. Let them first turn their fall colors and start to wither, then do your fall cleanup.

Grasses

Have you looked at your grasses during drought? If you find the leaves curling up to form a straw (no pun intended), it is time to water them. Grasses are really hardy, but will do much better if they are starting to get stressed.

Don't cut them back in the fall! Leave the grasses dry where they stand so your garden has great vertical height during the bleak winter months.

Hosta Pick of the Month

Color of Flowers: Medium, Funnel-shaped, Purple Striped, August

Ornamental Grass Pick of the Month